We all know it’s important to have regular checkups with a physician, but what about checkups for our health insurance?
A consultation with a care coordinator at Thrive Allen County may not only save you money; it could even save your life.
During a consultation you can compare insurance plans, check out your eligibility for financial aid, get help with forms/enrollment and answer any other questions you might have.
Open enrollment, where it’s possible to make changes to your policy, has already begun for Medicare (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7), and will soon begin for Marketplace (Nov. 1 – Dec. 15), through the Affordable Care Act.
Note that the windows for open enrollment are fairly tight, and age and income factors apply, so you’ll want to schedule an appointment as soon as you can to find out what plan will work best for you.
Special options exist for those who might have lost their job-based health insurance due to COVID-19.
And you need not be an Allen County resident to have a consultation, as they regularly see folks from Wilson, Coffey, Neosho and other neighboring counties.
Thrive can also provide assistance with paying utilities, disability, transportation, obtaining cash or food, child care assistance, unemployment, housing and drug treatment.
IN ORDER to learn more about how Thrive can help with insurance plans, the Register sat down with veteran care coordinator Greta Ingle, who provided insight into the enrollment process.
“A lot of people don’t realize the options they have,” she said.
For example, Ingle noted it’s important for people to look at their specific Medicare-D plan to see if they’re getting the best coverage for prescription medications.
One couple Ingle helped had been on a specific plan for multiple years, but after switching began to save upwards of $80 a month.
“For someone on retirement, $80 is a lot of money,” she said.
And the best plan may vary from year to year depending on what prescription medications one is taking.
That’s just one reason why “people should look at their plans every year,” said Ingle, and added that she even advises people to bring their medication containers to consultations to make sure all information is 100% accurate.
Sometimes switching plans can also lead to being covered for items that weren’t previously, such as different kinds of therapy.
